


Fox Cafe

by moonstars689



Category: NU'EST
Genre: Cafe AU, Hybrids, M/M, fox!minhyun, past jbaek lmao, there could be some mature/sensitive themes later on but not detailed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-01-18 18:24:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21281231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonstars689/pseuds/moonstars689
Summary: Kim Jonghyun is the first person to ever give Minhyun a job and a chance.
Relationships: Aaron Kwak | Aron/Choi Minki | Ren, Hwang Minhyun/Kim Jonghyun | JR
Comments: 51
Kudos: 212





	1. Scraps

Jonghyun sighed as he cleaned the last table in the cafe. Satisfied with the results, he went to the back to throw out the garbage. Minki had insisted he stay behind to help him, the owner shouldn’t be doing all that work, but he knew Minki was meeting Dongho and he didn’t want to keep him. When he opened the back door, he was greeted brightly by the shock of his life.

A grubby looking red fox hybrid was grinning at him, but as soon as he smiled, it turned into a frown.

“You’re not Aron,” he mumbled and backed away. “Sorry.”

Jonghyun had his suspicions that Aron had been feeding animals the leftovers, but actual animals, not a hybrid.

“No, I’m not Aron. He’s on vacation.”

“Oh,” he paused, looking at the ground. “For a long time?”

“It was an emergency, I don’t know.”

“Is he okay?” the fox looked up at him with worry and for some reason, his stomach flipped.

“He’s okay, it’s a family thing.” Why was he telling this hybrid so much? “Anyway, it’s dangerous for you to be outside.”

“You’re not going to yell at me?” the fox asked with obvious interest.

“No, I don’t care about, you know...”

The fox had a ghost of a sad smile on his lips.

“Do you want anything to eat?” Jonghyun asked. It had to be the reason why he was there.

“No, thank you,” he declined. “Sorry, but can’t take any chances.”

“Do you think I’d do something to you?”

The fox shrugged.

“I’m the owner of this place and I suggest-“

“You’re the owner?” the fox approached in interest. Jonghyun was glad to still be standing on the back stairs so he didn’t feel so small. “That’s amazing.”

“I suppose,” Jonghyun muttered, backing away slightly.

The fox took the bag of garbage from him and threw it in the dumpster with ease. “Thank you for telling me about Aron, is it okay if I check with you again?”

“Sure,” Jonghyun shrugged. “Get off the streets.”

After that encounter, Jonghyun swore he was seeing the fox all over the place. He could be on the bus or leaving the supermarket, but he was convinced he saw him. Hybrids weren’t commonly out in the street and if they were, they were usually with a human. To see a hybrid in the street like that bothered Jonghyun. The cops did a good job of getting unclaimed ones out of sight and out of mind. He always loved animals and he was kind to everyone so even though it wasn’t his business, he was troubled by the whole experience. He had called Aron, though he knew it may be troublesome since he was dealing with things at home, and asked him to explain the situation.

Aron shared that the fox's name was Minhyun and had been coming to the cafe for almost three months. Aron had been giving him the food they were going to throw away. Sometimes they would talk, but he honestly didn't know much about him. He seemed like a nice guy, but down on his luck so Aron didn't think it would be a problem. Jonghyun warned him against anyone looking for handouts, he didn't care who was asking. Fox hybrids weren't common - not in the streets anyway - and it was disconcerting to see one as good-looking as Minhyun begging for scraps at his back door. He felt for him, he did, but he didn't know him or if he would eventually bring friends with him.

A little over a week later a knock came at the back door while Jonghyun was in his small store room/office space. Kaeun and Yunjin were working in the front so he went to go check. The fox was back and this time he had a bruise on his left cheek.

“I changed my mind, do you have any extra food?” he asked.


	2. Part-Timer

Jonghyun weighed his options. He could give the guy food, but he did not like handouts. The fact that he had been coming back consistently for three months implied that he wasn't getting help anywhere else and that concerned Jonghyun the most. 

“Come inside,” Jonghyun took his wrist, pulling him along, and sitting him on the chair opposite his desk.

“I shouldn’t be inside here. Any leftovers are fine-“ Minhyun looked panicked, glancing at the closed door behind them.

“I’m not going to give you free food,” Jonghyun sat down in his chair and looked at the fox. "If you work here, I’ll give you a salary and you can eat whatever is left at the end of the day.”

Minhyun looked shocked, shifty eyes wide and focused on Jonghyun. “You’d let me work here...with people...?”

“Just odd jobs like cleaning up and inventory. Are you good at math?”

Minhyun just continued to look at him quizzically. “I'm okay at it.”

“Perfect. That’s the only way you’re getting food from here.”

“Why...are you letting me work here?”

“You’re nice enough that Aron likes you and you’re never going to get anywhere stealing food. If you didn’t work for it, it’s stealing. So, are you up for it?”

“Yes, sir, thank you,” he got up and bowed.

Jonghyun shook his head. “I’ll let you start today once everyone leaves. You need a shower though, follow me.”

They went upstairs and Jonghyun entered a passcode that unlocked the door to a small apartment.

“Is this your house?” Minhyun almost gasped. “No, no, I can’t.”

“Well, I’m not forcing you inside, but you don’t have anywhere to go. When Aron comes back, you can stay with him. Do you want me to call him?”

Minhyun looked at him in suspicion. “Yes, please.”

Jonghyun pulled out his phone and rang Aron, handing it to Minhyun. His rapidly switching, nervous tail seemed to calm down the longer he spoke to Aron and Jonghyun went inside to pull out extra towels and clothes.

“Sir?” Minhyun called out. “I talked to Aron. He said he’ll be back in a few days and I would like the job if it’s okay.”

“Please don't call me 'sir', Jonghyun is fine. Here are a towel and some clothes. When you’re done, meet me back in my office,” Jonghyun instructed and left the fox by himself.

When Jonghyun came back downstairs, the employees were almost done cleaning up. He told them to go home, he would wrap up, and they were happy to take him up on his offer. As if on cue, Minhyun stepped into the cafe from the back looking as clean as a whistle, auburn hair still damp, falling into his eyes.

“Thank you for the shower,” he bowed his head. “Can I help? I promise I’m good at cleaning.”

“Sure, you can start with that. I’m going to go into the office and work on the books for the day.”

Jonghyun was wrapping up his accounts and was about to move onto inventory when Minhyun poked his head in to say he was finished. Jonghyun went out to appraise his work and the small cafe was, as promised, spotless.

“Good job,” he smiled and Minhyun grinned, tail wagging happily behind him.“You can help me do inventory. That will become your job too, then we can eat.”

When they finally got upstairs and Jonghyun finished dinner, Minhyun ate like it was his last meal, despite Jonghyun telling him to slow down. Minhyun blinked up at him with sleepy eyes from his seat at the table and Jonghyun had to resist the urge to touch his hair. He offered to wash the dishes but Jonghyun refused, instead he moved to show him the spare room. Minhyun all but jumped into the bed, letting slip he hadn't slept in a real bed in months. He held a pillow to his chest and thanked Jonghyun, who just hummed in acknowledgment and closed the door. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for reading! Sorry for the late update, I plan on posting once a week on weekends just like Sunrise Nursery. You can always come to yell at me on twitter too: https://twitter.com/moonstars689


	3. Roommates

Jonghyun liked Minhyun. He was quiet at first, but after a few days, he seemed to make himself incredibly comfortable. “No one could make such nice meals if they were mean,” was his reasoning and the comment just served to fluster him. The following week, Aron arrived on Tuesday morning and before Jonghyun could say anything, Minhyun came into the shop from the backroom and engulfed Aron in a hug.

“Thank you,” Minhyun squeezed him and Aron tried to tap out.

“Please stop crushing me. You should thank Jonghyun since he was the one who convinced me you shouldn’t be in the street,” he explained.

Minhyun fixed Jonghyun with an unreadable expression and Jonghyun turned back towards the tea rack.

“After work, you can come home with me,” Aron explained. “Have you met everyone yet?”

“Only Minki and Yunjin,” he replied. Minhyun usually started working after everyone left. The two employees he had met were shocked to see him but trusted Jonghyun without question, so his presence didn't pose an issue.

The three of them talked while Jonghyun set up for the day. Eunwoo walked in soon after and Aron did the honors of explaining why Minhyun was there. She said she couldn’t care less if he was a talking bear - she had just failed an exam the day before and was worried she was going to fail a whole class.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if Minhyun could work the day shift?” Aron sighed, hand on Jonghyun’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” Jonghyun shrugged. “Too bad people aren’t as understanding as us.”

“You never know. Other hybrids have jobs.”

“Not with the general public like this,” Jonghyun frowned.

"Maybe we can be the first ones," Aron shrugged and went to help Eunwoo set the tables up since Minhyun seemed to be comforting her through unintelligible sniffles.

The rest of the day went by quickly and Aron waited for Minhyun to finish cleaning and do inventory so they could go back to his place. Minhyun didn’t have anything except a few articles of ill-fitting clothing that Jonghyun had given him, so there wasn't much to pack. Jonghyun promised that starting next week he would come up with a new schedule since Aron was back and Minhyun could have days off. Minhyun was undoubtedly comfortable with Aron, but before he walked out, he wrapped his arms around Jonghyun in a hug - one much gentler than the bear hug he had given Aron.

“Thank you,” Minhyun whispered.

“No problem,” Jonghyun mumbled awkwardly and when Minhyun pulled away, his tail which was wrapped around Jonghyun’s limp arm didn’t.

“I’m sorry,” Minhyun blushed and released him immediately. “See you tomorrow, boss!”

***

Everyone liked Minhyun. He was nice and funny, though his jokes were weird, overall his personality was straightforward and well-intentioned. No one asked him about where he had been before he showed up on their doorstep and no one seemed to care. Minki and Yunjin bought and altered clothes for him, Aron spent extra time training him on other duties at the cafe if Jonghyun put him on the day shift, and Eunwoo even did homework with him.

“Can you get back to work? Minhyun isn’t your tutor,” Jonghyun poked his head into the break room.

“Yeah, yeah, thanks Minhyun!” she closed her notebook and put it back in her locker.

“She’s teaching me, actually,” Minhyun pointed out when she left. “Sorry for taking up her whole break.”

“What is she teaching you?” Jonghyun asked, peering at the notebook in front of him.

“Just stuff, I didn’t go to university,” Minhyun snapped his notebook shut.

“I’m sorry, I was just curious.”

“I’m not offended,” Minhyun smiled. “Hey, I didn’t sleep that well last night, would you mind if I took a nap upstairs before my shift?”

Minhyun didn’t ask for much and Jonghyun was surprised. “I don’t mind, the passcode is 19950721.”

“Is that your birthday?” Minhyun asked.

“Uh, no,” Jonghyun answered awkwardly. “Please excuse the mess.”

Minhyun stared at him for a little too long before getting up and going upstairs.

At closing time, Jonghyun went to his apartment to get Minhyun and found him sound asleep in the 2nd bedroom. He hadn’t noticed before, but Minhyun did look exhausted. He wondered if Minhyun was getting any rest since he seemed to arrive when Aron did, though he didn't have to, then he stayed late to clean and do inventory. It had been a little over a month since then and the schedule must have been taxing. Jonghyun let him sleep and went back downstairs.

“He’s knocked out, I don’t mind if he sleeps over,” Jonghyun told Aron and Aron left him to finish up.

Minhyun didn’t wake up even when Jonghyun went to get him for dinner. He ate alone and went into his room to play some games before bed. He was half-asleep watching a gaming stream when Minhyun appeared in his doorway and made him jump.

“I’m sorry!” Minhyun apologized.

“It’s okay, I just didn’t expect you. How are you feeling?” Jonghyun sat up.

“A lot better, you should have woken me up,” he pouted and for some reason, Jonghyun felt shy.

“You seemed tired.”

Minhyun’s ear twitched and he looked apprehensive. “Uh, it’s quieter here than at Aron’s.”

“You can just tell him to shut up, don’t worry about offending him.”

“He’s...with Minki,” he explained.

“Oh,” Jonghyun raised his eyebrows.

“Anyway, what are you watching?” Minhyun asked, taking a tentative step in.

Jonghyun shifted unconsciously, but Minhyun was more than happy to take it as an invitation to get in next to him. He was surprised, but set the computer between them and explained how the game worked before clicking play. Minhyun asked why he bothered watching and didn't just play the game himself. Jonghyun just kind of shrugged and gave a lukewarm answer about gameplay and strategy. Though Minhyun had gotten plenty of sleep, Jonghyun was tired though and knocked out not long after they started watching.

He woke up again when his alarm rang and found his laptop neatly placed on his bedside table. Minhyun had gone, but a few strands of red hair were left behind in the bed beside him. It was Monday so the cafe was closed, but he usually tried to wake up before noon so as not to ruin his sleep schedule. Minhyun was sitting in his living room eating melon bread and reading a book. At the sound of his footsteps, he turned to grin at him.

“Thank you for letting me sleepover,” he grinned.

“Sure,” Jonghyun yawned. “You know, why don’t you stay here? I know you said you were more comfortable with Aron, but-“

His ears pointed straight up and his tail was a very obvious tell of his excitement. “Well that was when I didn’t know you. Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Yes, it’s fine, we can work out-"

Minhyun had already gotten up and hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Jonghyun-ah. You really are the nicest person I’ve ever met.”

Any other words died on his lips. Jonghyun just pat Minhyun's back and assured him it was no big deal. 


	4. A Date

“You don't really go out,” Jonghyun stated one evening. Minhyun had been in his place for a few weeks, but everyone still treated him like a pet and brought him anything he wanted, though he never asked for much.

“No, not really,” Minhyun looked up from his book. One thing Jonghyun was sure of was that Minhyun was trying to amass a library of knowledge with every fiction and spare textbook his employees would bring him.

“Do you want to come with me to do some recon?”

“What’s that?” his ears perked up in interest. Jonghyun briefly wondered what it would be like to pet them, but returned to the conversation.

“I try to go to other cafes to see what’s trendy and what might sell for us here,” he explained. “Usually I go alone or take Eunwoo since she has a good eye, but she’s busy and I feel bad when you’re stuck inside.”

“But-“

“If you’re with me, it should be okay.”

Minhyun gave him a thoughtful look. “Sure, that sounds fine.”

The next morning, Jonghyun was waiting on the couch for Minhyun to be done getting ready. When he did step back into the living room, Jonghyun was confused. He was wearing a baseball cap that hid his telling ears and he didn’t see his tail.

“Where is-“

“It’s not very comfortable, but I’ve done this sometimes,” Minhyun replied.

“You don’t have to do this for me,” Jonghyun assured him.

Minhyun gave him an enigmatic smile. “I would feel better like this, for now.”

Jonghyun couldn’t understand why, since he saw Minhyun preening himself all the time and when anyone at the cafe complimented him, he radiated happiness. Alas, he wasn’t one to pry so he just shrugged and got up so they could leave.

They were at the third cafe and Minhyun’s favorite so far when Jonghyun ordered them lunch and they sat down at a table. It was very quiet and cozy, it wasn’t overly-trendy and quite simple. The waitress brought them the lunch set and Minhyun was happy to dig in.

“You seem to like this place,” Jonghyun commented.

Minhyun nodded and finished his mouthful. “It feels warm, like if I went to a friend’s house. And it’s quiet, but my ears are very sensitive.”

Jonghyun nodded. “I wonder if we shouldn’t try doing more cooking.”

“Maybe not all the time, just like twice a week, on weekends,” Minhyun suggested.

Jonghyun raised an eyebrow. “That’s not a bad idea. Maybe we can do lunch on Saturday and Sundays. Just a few easy dishes.”

Minhyun nodded enthusiastically. “Aron can cook!”

“Well, I don’t want him to feel obligated and he’s usually our best server on busy days.”

Minhyun frowned.

“It’s a really good idea, though, I’ll ask him if he’d like to try it one weekend,” Jonghyun offered quickly and Minhyun looked satisfied.

When they got back home, they hadn’t even made it upstairs when Minhyun took his hat off and rubbed his ears that kept twitching. His tail also appeared behind him again, shaking rapidly to return to its usual state of fluffiness.

“Why did you hide them?” Jonghyun asked.

“I just wanted to have a nice day with you, no staring, no questions,” Minhyun replied, looking in the entryway mirror to fix his hat hair.

Jonghyun felt butterflies erupt in his stomach. The day would have been nice regardless, he thought to himself. “People stare at you anyway,” is what he actually said and Minhyun fixed his eyes on him in the mirror before turning around.

“Because they noticed?”

“Because you’re handsome,” Jonghyun answered, though he had a distinct feeling Minhyun already knew what he was going to say.

He loved Minhyun’s smile, especially when he laughed loud showing his teeth, but the smile he showed him now just made his heart hammer in his chest. “Do you think so too?”

Jonghyun coughed. “I’m not blind,” he huffed, busying himself with something in the kitchen.

Minhyun laughed all the way to his room and closed the door.


	5. Caught

Aron agreed to do the cooking on Sunday as a test of their idea. The idea turned out to be more popular than they anticipated and they were stretched thin on staff. Minhyun was washing dishes as fast as they came back and while everyone was stressed, he was just singing to almost every song playing on the radio back in the kitchen with Aron. Jonghyun found it kind of relaxing to start with, then it was just annoying so he sent him to throw out the trash.

It was almost too loud in the kitchen for them to hear, but a shout followed by the thump of the garbage cans sent both Jonghyun and Aron running out to the back. Minhyun was being held by his arms by an officer, another rapidly typing into a tablet.

“Hey, what the hell are you doing?” Aron was the first the react, marching down the back steps and trying to grab Minhyun back.

“This hybrid isn’t logged in the database-“

“But he wor-“ Aron began and Jonghyun stopped him by interrupting.

“He’s mine,” Jonghyun said. Everyone in the neighborhood knew Jonghyun and his parents who had started the cafe, including the police. They had done a lot for the community.

“Mr. Kim, you know the law,” the one with the tablet said.

“I know, but as you can see we’re very busy for today’s event and I didn’t take him to get chipped. Please let him go,” Jonghyun explained with a bright smile. “I promise, I’ll take him on Monday.”

“Fine, just a warning then,” Tablet sighed. “Don’t make me write you up.”

“Of course not,” Jonghyun assured him sweetly. The other let go of Minhyun who was quick to step closer to Jonghyun, tail wrapping around his wrist.

“Have a good day, you better get back inside,” Tablet tipped his hat and left the back alley.

“Sorry about that,” Jonghyun sighed. “Minhyun, I think you should go upstairs for now. I’m not sure if someone tipped them off. Aron, we better get back to work.”

“You got it, boss,” Aron gave him a salute and went back inside.

“Are you really...on Monday...” Minhyun’s tail tugged him back.

“No, of course not,” Jonghyun assured him. “I just said it so they’ll leave us alone.”

“You didn’t strike me as someone who would lie to the police.”

“I didn’t think I was taking you in either, but here we are,” Jonghyun sighed.

Minhyun’s laugh was almost a giggle and he followed Jonghyun inside, tail still tightly wrapped around Jonghyun. He was upset that he couldn't help, but Jonghyun painstakingly coaxed him into going upstairs and locking the door. By the time Jonghyun got home, Minhyun was already asleep.

***

Jonghyun awoke on that Monday morning to Minhyun shaking him awake. It was still dark and he blinked blearily into the darkness.

“What’s the matter?” he mumbled.

“Someone is here and they said they know you,” Minhyun explained.

“Just ignore it, they’ll go away.”

“He let himself inside. It’s a tiger,” Minhyun replied and left the room.

Jonghyun didn’t have to see him know he sounded unhappy. He couldn’t imagine what _he_ was doing here, but he got out of bed and found Dongho sitting on the living room couch. “You don’t own a phone?”

“I didn’t think it would be a problem, but I see you have company,” Dongho raised an eyebrow.

“He is my roommate,” Jonghyun explained. Minhyun seemed to be in his room, but Jonghyun figured he could hear everything.

“Interesting,” Dongho offered. “Anyway, I just wanted to see how you were doing.”

“At 3 AM?”

“Can’t help being nocturnal,” he chuckled. “It’s been a while, you look good.”

“You too,” Jonghyun smiled. “But can we please do this at another time. It’s my one day off.”

“Then you can nap all day, come on, let’s go out. Like old times.”

Jonghyun sighed. “Fine.”

Jonghyun knocked on Minhyun’s door and as he went to grab the handle, Minhyun spoke first. “I heard. Have a nice time.”

They didn’t get back until mid-day and Jonghyun was shocked to find Minhyun gone. Jonghyun had left his phone in his room by accident and he wasn’t even sure why he was checking since Minhyun didn’t have any means of communicating with him. It didn’t look like someone had broken in and his room was immaculate as always. He had left clothes in the wardrobe, but it was hard to call that definitive proof he would be back. Panic began to set in as he tore the apartment apart looking for a clue to his disappearance. 


	6. Found

Jonghyun was fraught with worry because, after the incident with the police on Saturday, he was fairly convinced someone was watching them or knew Minhyun was an untagged hybrid. He immediately sent a message to the cafe’s group chat which prompted a flurry of panicked messages, most of which simply asked "Why?". Jonghyun had done some clandestine research about foxes and knew they were territorial. He wondered if Dongho’s sudden appearance in the house without an invitation set him off, but it wasn’t like Dongho went into his bedroom so he wasn’t sure.

Though the cafe was closed, those who weren’t busy showed up anyway to come up with a plan to go looking for him. Kaeun offered to drive and drop people off at various places and they took off almost immediately, but Aron and Minki stayed behind. Jonghyun explained that Dongho had shown up in the early hours and they had gone out. Aron and Minki looked at each other in askance. Just then, Aron’s phone rang. Yunjin said that they didn’t see him anywhere and weren’t sure where to look next.

“We can’t tell the police. Someone called them yesterday,” Jonghyun sighed, sitting on the couch.

“Who could-“

The electronic lock on the front door beeped and Dongho walked in. “Wow! Everyone’s here!”

“Hey, Minhyun is missing,” Aron explained.

“Did someone take him?” Dongho looked concerned.

“I don’t think so, but I’m worried,” Jonghyun rubbed his face.

“I’ll help you look,” Dongho pat his shoulder. “If you have something of his, that’ll help, I don’t want to go to his room.”

Jonghyun went in to grab a shirt and gave it to Dongho. “Thanks for helping.”

“Sure, anything for you,” Dongho smiled and left again.

It didn’t take long to find him. Dongho wasn’t sure he could call this running away when Minhyun was tucked behind a tree in a park with a book in his hand.

“Hey,” he called out and Minhyun jumped before bristling at the sight of him. “Have you been here the whole time? Jonghyun is looking for you.”

“Why? He was with you.”

Dongho frowned. “But when he came home, you were missing. I’m sorry if my scent upset you, but-“

“Not yours, his,” Minhyun stood up. “Though, I think it’s rude you’re coming into someone’s home without warning.”

“I didn’t know his roommate was a hybrid and he’s my friend.”

Minhyun looked incensed at that. “Did he tell you that?”

“That you’re his roommate?”

“Yes.”

Minhyun managed to look angry and crestfallen at the same time. “But he said I was his.”

“Didn’t know Jonghyun was into handsome idiots now,” Dongho grumbled. “Can you just come on? It’s not like that between us.”

“Maybe you don’t think so-“

“No, I know so,” Dongho grabbed his arm and Minhyun struggled in his grip. “If you want to leave, then fine, but I’m not letting you just disappear on my best friend no explanation. We can talk while we walk.”

***

Everyone had gone home and Jonghyun was restlessly watching TV in the dark living room. He wouldn’t be able to sleep if he tried. His eyes were open but he wasn’t seeing anything when the sound of the electronic lock interrupted his thoughts.

“Here is your fox,” Dongho announced, pushing Minhyun into the room.

“Thank you,” Minhyun had the decency to look guilty. “Sorry.”

“Where the hell have you been?” Jonghyun demanded. “Do you know how many people have been looking for you?”

“I’m going home, you guys can have your lovers’ quarrel on your own,” Dongho sighed, making Minhyun sputter incoherently as Dongho shut the front door.

Jonghyun just frowned at him, arms folded. “Why did you disappear?”

“It was stupid.”

“Oh, I’m well aware of that! Everyone was worried sick. We thought the police took you or, worse, someone else had you. Why would you do that? You know, we’re giving you plenty of opportunities here and this is a sorry way to thank us. The police were just here Friday so someone must know and-“

The more Jonghyun spoke, the droopier Minhyun’s ears looked. “I know, Jonghyun, I’m sorry. I had to leave for a little bit, I couldn’t help it.”

“You didn’t even leave a note,” Jonghyun threw his hands up in exasperation and turned away.

“Please,” Minhyun reached out for his wrist. “I’m sorry.”

“Why can’t you explain what happened instead of just apologizing?”

Minhyun’s frown deepened. “If I tell you, you’ll probably be uncomfortable and I don’t want to make things worse.”

Jonghyun sighed. “Whatever, this is not getting us anywhere.”

“I like you,” Minhyun told him directly.

Jonghyun’s brow knit in confusion. “This a funny way of showing it.”

“No, I _like_ you. And you still like Dongho,” Minhyun pointed out.

“Did he tell you that?”

“He told me about before, but the fact that you like him still...I figured that out on my own. You don’t go out with just anyone and not at 3:00 AM. You also...smell different.”

Jonghyun felt so embarrassed. He didn’t like Dongho like that, not anymore, but to be told he smelt different was a little....more than strange and invasive.

“I’m going to sleep.”

“Do you still like him?”

“Did I spend 24 hours looking for him? No, I was looking for you,” he replied, burning gaze directed at the floor. When Minhyun didn’t respond immediately, he willed himself not to cry out of frustration and turned to go.

Arms wrapped around him and Minhyun plastered himself to his back. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, please don’t...give up on me.”

The turn of phrase made Jonghyun’s heart stagger in his chest.


	7. Warm

Ten years ago, Jonghyun met Dongho outside of his parents’ cafe after school. He had come by the back door and his mom was handing a bag to the tiger hybrid who looked no older than he did. Jonghyun knew about hybrids though he didn’t go to school with any, but was shocked to see his mom giving one food. When Dongho has spotted him, he bowed quickly to his mother and ran off. The next time he saw him, however, he shouted for him to stop, asking if he wanted to play games. Dongho wasn’t good at them, but he still seemed to be having fun and Jonghyun’s parents were happy their son had been so kind. Shortly after Jonghyun’s 15th birthday, Dongho came to the back door inconsolable and saying he had nowhere to go. Jonghyun’s parents welcomed him into their home and Dongho moved into Jonghyun’s room. The small two-bedroom above the cafe was cramped with two teenage boys, but no one seemed to mind.

Jonghyun had never liked anyone before, but he knew that Dongho made him happy. As they got older, the time he spent studying for entrance exams took away from their time to hang out. When he finally did get a break, he came home early one day and saw Dongho kissing someone briefly before going into the cafe. It was unfortunate that it took seeing that for Jonghyun to realize what he had been feeling the whole time. It wasn’t long after he had gotten accepted into university that Dongho said he was moving in with a friend and thanked his family for their kindness over the last few years.

Jonghyun didn’t see Dongho again until his parents had moved back to their hometown with one of his sisters. Jonghyun hadn’t been all that keen on taking over the cafe, but he hated the thought of them selling it to someone else. Dongho had shown up one day and asked for a place to stay, though he would understand if Jonghyun said no. It didn't even occur to him to decline and he welcomed Dongho back into the little apartment above the cafe. They had been drinking and reminiscing when Jonghyun admitted to liking him all those years ago. He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the dwelling on old feelings, but they had kissed that night. Jonghyun didn’t feel what he thought he would and Dongho agreed - they were different people now and it was a crush best left in the past. Their friendship, however, was one Jonghyun didn't want to lose. Dongho could always come back if he needed to and they changed the passcode to his birthday just so he'd never forget.

All that had happened so long ago, it didn't even occur to him that it would be such a "problem". Jonghyun liked Minhyun and, now that Minhyun had confessed, Jonghyun wondered if this was even a good idea. If he left once, why couldn’t he leave again? Wriggling out from Minhyun's embrace, Jonghyun asked if they could have this conversation in the morning after they (he) had gotten some sleep.

Unfortunately, however, they didn’t talk about it in the morning. Minhyun tried to start, but Jonghyun quickly busied himself with work. Everyone was so happy to have Minhyun back that he was quickly monopolized by all the employees and torn from any chance at a serious conversation. The day continued in uncomfortable silence between them until everyone had gone home for the day; and even then, Jonghyun went upstairs first and left Minhyun to clean up. 

When Minhyun was done with the shower he knocked cautiously on Jonghyun’s bedroom door. It had been left a crack open, so he guessed Jonghyun may still be open to talking. Pushing the door slightly ajar, he saw Jonghyun was safely ensconced in his blankets with his phone.

“Can I come in?” Minhyun asked, traitorous tail twitching nervously behind him.

“Sure,” Jonghyun agreed.

“I’m really sorry I’m kind of dense.”

Jonghyun just sat up and folded his arms, waiting for him to continue.

“And that I left. It was wrong, but,” he hesitated. “I could smell Dongho had been here before. And the passcode was his birthday. I just assumed there was something going on and I couldn’t bear the thought-well, you know now anyway, I like you.”

Jonghyun frowned. “I used to like him, we tried-“

Minhyun’s tail smacked the door frame and he looked guilty, mumbling an apology.

“But it didn’t work out. We’re just friends.”

Minhyun nodded. “Is there any chance...for me?”

Jonghyun blushed. It was always off-putting how direct Minhyun could be. His emotions were never secret and he never hesitated. In some ways, Jonghyun was jealous at how easily he said the things he did. He was nervous and scared, but he felt like he could trust him, despite the shockingly erratic behavior of leaving. Instead of saying anything, he pulled back the blanket so Minhyun could get in next to him.

“So is this a yes?” Minhyun asked. “I just want to be sure and-“

Jonghyun squished his cheeks between his palms, effectively making him shut up. Very bravely, he brushed his lips against his. “Yes, now go to sleep and don’t go anywhere.”

Minhyun was flushed from his ears down to his neck. “O-okay,” he gave a nervous laugh, covering his face.

***

Jonghyun woke up because he was way too hot. At first, he thought it was just because Minhyun had found some way to superglue himself to his back, but he soon realized Minhyun himself was all but on fire. Sitting up quickly and turning on his lamp, he looked down at Minhyun who was clinging to his waist and sweating profusely.

“Minhyun,” he shook him. “Wake up.”

He just hummed in response, holding him tighter.

Hesitantly, he stroked his fingers through Minhyun’s hair, scratching behind one of his fox ears. Minhyun smiled in content and nuzzled his nose into Jonghyun’s collarbone. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked up at him with a glassy stare.

“Jonghyun?” he muttered.

“Yeah, are you sick?” he asked.

Minhyun released him quickly and sat up in realization. “Oh.”

“Oh, what?”

“I should leave-“

Jonghyun’s eyes went wide.

“Uh, not like permanently. This is embarrassing. Sorry, I have to go to my room. And don’t come in,” he got up clumsily and raced to his room.

Not to be deterred, Jonghyun went after him and knocked on the door. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Um, well, it’s that time of year and I really like someone so my hormones are going to be kind of...”

Why did it take Jonghyun so long to realize? He knew about heats, though every hybrid was different. “Don’t you have medicine for this?”

“I haven’t had one in a long time so no,” Minhyun answered. “Can I borrow your phone?”

“Sure,” Jonghyun agreed.

“Just leave it outside the door. I don’t want it to get any worse, sorry. And go back to your room.”

“It’s fine,” Jonghyun assured him, leaving and returning with his phone. “Okay, I’m leaving it.”

As soon as Jonghyun shut his door, he heard Minhyun come out to get the phone, shutting the door behind him. Not long after Minhyun called out to him, letting him know a cat would come soon.

***

When was that cat going to come? It had been a restless two days since Minhyun had made his phone call and Jonghyun hadn’t slept a wink. The workday had been fine and Yunjin was happy to help him clean up after closing since he explained Minhyun was sick. She offered to go get medicine, but Jonghyun assured her they were fine. He had not expected to open his front door and see Minhyun flushed down to his bare chest, chugging an entire bottle of water in front of the refrigerator. At the sound of his arrival, Minhyun looked at him with a predatory stare, spilling water on himself. Minhyun took two steps towards him, then, as if realizing where he was, he bolted back into his room. Jonghyun couldn’t get the image out of his mind and ended up setting himself up to sleep in his office until someone came. 

When a knock came at the back door early in the morning, Jonghyun nearly fell off the couch in his office and ran to check who it was. He opened the door and looked up at the black cat hybrid leaning on the doorframe.

“Oh this makes sense,” he said by way of greeting.

“Are you here for Minhyun?” Jonghyun asked.

“I’m Ong Seongwoo,” he shook Jonghyun’s hand. “Lead me to him.”

Jonghyun brought him upstairs and pointed him to Minhyun’s room.

“Did he do something to you? You seem afraid,” the cat asked.

“No, I’m just giving him privacy,” Jonghyun explained.

Seongwoo nodded with a sympathetic frown. He knocked on Minhyun’s door. “Hwang Minhyun, wake up. I have your medicine and I bet you need a shower.”

“Shut up,” they heard from the other side.

“I’ll go downstairs. Let me know if you need anything,” Jonghyun said shyly, wrapping his blanket around himself and walking back out.

It was almost time to open the cafe when Ong Seongwoo came back downstairs.

“Mr. Kim,” he called. “Minhyun is sleeping now, he should be fine in a few hours. I’m sure he’s very sorry you had to see all that. He’s a nice guy.”

“Thank you for coming,” Jonghyun rubbed his eyes and Seongwoo smiled. “Are you a doctor or something?”

“No, not at all, Minhyun and I are just old friends."

“You know his last name.”

“You don’t and you live with him?”

Jonghyun felt embarrassed at that.

“You’re both so...naive,” Seongwoo chuckled. “Let me give you my number, in case something happens.”

Jonghyun handed him his phone and Seongwoo tapped in his contact details. “You know, if Minhyun invites you, you can come to visit here. We don’t have anything against hybrids.”

“You’re a good person, Kim Jonghyun. Maybe one day,” Seongwoo stood up. “I’ll come back to check on him in a week or so.”

Jonghyun got ready for the day and as soon as Aron saw him, he sent him back upstairs to sleep. He insisted he didn’t need it until he spilled a whole bag of coffee beans and finally agreed. As soon as he lay down in bed, he knew Aron had been right and he closed his eyes to sleep.

“Jonghyun-ah,” someone shook his shoulder. He made a noise of protest and ensconced himself deeper into the covers. “Wake up, do you want dinner?”

Jonghyun blinked his eyes open in confusion, looking eye-to-eye with Minhyun, who was kneeling, chin resting on the edge of the bed.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, standing up and looking away now that Jonghyun had opened his eyes. “It’s dinner time.”

“Sure,” Jonghyun sat up and rubbed his eyes. “What time is it?”

“A little past eight. Anyway, I left dinner in the kitchen, help yourself,” he explained in a rush and made to leave.

“Hey, are you feeling better?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine now. I’m really sorry-“

“I’m glad you feel better, did you eat already?” Jonghyun got up.

“I didn’t,” Minhyun mumbled, surprise evident in his voice that Jonghyun was almost pretending as if nothing had happened.

“Then let’s eat-“

“Wait, are you not going to say anything?”

“What do you want me to say?” Jonghyun asked him.

“Aren’t you...disgusted or angry or-“

“It’s not like you can help it,” Jonghyun blushed, thankful for the darkness of his room. “Do _you_ want to talk about it?”

“I just don’t remember much so I hope I didn’t do or say anything to upset you.”

“No, you kept to yourself and then Seongwoo came. He said he’ll come to check on you in a few days. Is he your friend?”

Minhyun hummed thoughtfully as he followed Jonghyun into the living room.

“If your friends want to come here, they can, you know we don’t care.”

Minhyun laughed. “They try to lay low.”

Jonghyun shrugged and opened one of the takeout boxes. “Do you want to go out on the weekend?”

“But...the cafe?”

“We close at 4 on Sunday, so afterward.”

“Y-yes,” he tried to answer as neutrally as possible though his tail was whacking the floor. He grabbed it, looking embarrassed. “So annoying.”

“I think it’s cute,” Jonghyun giggled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little longer than normal! With the holidays coming up, I may be taking a break on one of the two upcoming weekends and I didn't want to leave you on a major cliffhanger :)


	8. Finally

Jonghyun had done his research. He’d never been on a real date before but he wanted to make sure the experience was a positive one. It had been largely disheartening when he was looking online that many museums didn’t allow unregistered hybrids. He caught Minhyun drawing in his free time often and he was sure that he’d like to see a real museum. Luckily, he was able to find a local artist’s gallery that didn’t mention any restrictions. It was something, though he didn’t feel like it was enough. It also wasn’t far from a traditional restaurant that confirmed Minhyun could eat there so Jonghyun made a reservation.

When the cafe closed for the day on Sunday, they went upstairs to shower and get ready to go back out. Jonghyun found Minhyun tucking his ears into a bucket hat in front of the hall mirror. Frowning, he took the hat from him and smoothed his hair out, lightly massaging his ears.

“You don’t have to do that,” Jonghyun assured him.

“I know you don’t mind but…not everyone is like you,” Minhyun was smiling, but it was the saddest thing he’d ever seen.

“No, they’re not, but all the places we’re going…it’s okay to be yourself.”

Minhyun was looking at him earnestly, but his eyes gave away his hesitation in making a decision. “Okay, I trust you.”

Slipping his hand into Minhyun’s, Jonghyun squeezed reassuringly and pulled him towards the door.

***

Minhyun was stopped in front of a painting that took up a full wall in the gallery. It was one of the centerpieces of the exhibit, but no one but Jonghyun was standing near him. The few people who were in the gallery hadn’t said anything about a hybrid being present, but they were still cautious of getting too close. Minhyun was studying the painting very carefully. It was an abstract work and Jonghyun thought it was fine but he wasn’t much into art. He had long since given up looking at the works on the walls and was staring at Minhyun instead - he was the best-looking thing in this whole gallery. No one else was in the room as far as he was concerned and when he turned away from the painting, looking for something, Jonghyun made to call out his name. Before the word passed his lips, Minhyun turned to him with a smile that all but stopped his heart.

The smile hadn’t left his face all evening and continued well into the night as they walked back to the bus stop from the restaurant. The moon was high in the sky and illuminated the small side streets they were carefully retracing back to the main road.

“I had so much fun, I wish we could do this every day,” Minhyun admitted as if he had been holding onto this confession up until the right moment.

“I’m glad you had fun. It was really interesting,” Jonghyun offered.

“I know you thought it was boring,” Minhyun laughed and pulled him by his hand towards a secluded, shaded section of the narrow sidewalk. With Minhyun's hand against the brick wall that lined the road, he was all but pinned there with Minhyun looming over him. “Thank you for taking me to these places.”

“A-anytime,” Jonghyun breathed. Minhyun had gotten very close and Jonghyun was struck by the fact that though they were using the same soap, somehow it smelled more enticing with Minhyun's proximity. Before he could help himself, he glanced down at Minhyun’s lips then looked back up into his eyes.

“You don’t have to say it back,” Minhyun whispered lowly. “But I might love you.”

Before Jonghyun could even respond, Minhyun pressed his lips to his and any reply was lost as they stayed in their shadow for just a little too long.

When they finally made it home and Minhyun had closed the door to his room behind him, Jonghyun couldn’t help but feel a renewed determination to figure out a way for him to finally have rights of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while and I haven't been that inspired or motivated to write this story in some time. Suddenly, I was writing again and I finished it. I think there will be just one or two more chapters after this one. Normally, I don't listen to music when I write, but for this chapter, I was listening to "Finally // beautiful stranger" by Halsey if you want to hear what headspace I was in. 
> 
> As always, feedback is really appreciated (and encouraged!). Thank you for taking the time to read this.


	9. The Cat

Minhyun was turning off the last of the lights in the store when a knock came at the back door. Jonghyun beat him there and opened the cafe to Seongwoo who gave them a grin. Minhyun looked elated to see him and enveloped him in a hug. Though Seongwoo had originally promised to return in a week, it had been quite a while since they’d last seen him. Since he had arrived unexpectedly and Minhyun had made plans with Aron to run some errands, before he left he made Seongwoo promise he wouldn’t go until he had returned. With that promise, he pressed one last kiss to Jonghyun’s temple before he walked out of the cafe.

Minhyun was affectionate, but usually reserved displays of affection for when they were alone, though his tail had other ideas and would be secured around Jonghyun’s wrist any moment they were close to one another. Though Jonghyun looked uneasy about Seongwoo's reaction, the cat just smiled at him sweetly and asked if he could sit down. Jonghyun went to get him a cup of tea and pain au chocolat to have while he waited.

“Why don’t you sit down, Jonghyun? I won’t bite,” Seongwoo beamed at him and Jonghyun sat down across from him. “I’m glad Minhyun has found a new owner such as yourself.”

“I’m not Minhyun’s owner,” Jonghyun corrected him quickly.

“Oh? Then…what exactly is going on here?” Seongwoo asked.

“He’s my partner…my boyfriend,” Jonghyun answered.

“But he is also your employee and he lives with you, do you pay him?”

“Of course I do!”

“And what’s your longterm goal? He’s a hybrid without registration, he’s as good as free game any time he steps outside and-“

The rapid descent into question caught him off guard. Jonghyun couldn’t decide if this was a police interrogation or an over-concerned mother-in-law. “I know that,” he interrupted Seongwoo. “I know. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to change that. I hate that he can’t just go out without someone. I hate that the way I met him was taking him off the streets. I think I’ve found the solution, but I don’t know if he’ll agree to it.”

Seongwoo eyed him suspiciously. “And what’s that?”

“I want to make him the owner of this cafe,” Jonghyun admitted. It had been something that he’d been researching extensively. Dongho had explained to him that hybrids with rich owners were given property so they didn’t have to be registered. It was a loophole that provided the well-off with the discretion they desired, but it could work in their favor as well. Seongwoo must have known that because the look of shock in his eyes made Jonghyun hesitate to continue his explanation.

“How much has Minhyun told you about where he used to live?” Seongwoo asked after a moment.

“Nothing at all.”

“I won’t tell a story that isn’t my place to tell, but Minhyun and I were part of a rich family. Yes, they gave us property, but we were never allowed to leave. Golden cage and all that. Unfortunately, Minhyun’s owner was not very nice to him and always dragged him back. I think if you hadn’t given him somewhere to live…he’d still, be running and getting caught.”

Jonghyun frowned, but before he could say anything Seongwoo continued.

“He’s my best friend and I just want him to be happy. He’s always so positive, but what you’re proposing could be nerve-wracking. I expect you to look after him well.”

Jonghyun had to smile at that. “That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about.”

Seongwoo’s shoulders relaxed as if he had been holding this in for some time. “I don’t think so either, but I feel kind of responsible for him. I can’t help it.”

“He’s your friend, why wouldn’t you? And so you know, you and any of Minhyun’s friends can come by here any time.”

Seongwoo didn't offer a response to that. "I think I should go."

"You said you'd wait for him," Jonghyun frowned. 

Seongwoo shrugged. "I knew he would be going out today, I only came to talk to you."

"I don't think you should go-"

"It's okay, I'll check in on him again," Seongwoo stood up. "Thank you for the food."

Jonghyun walked him out and cleared away the plates. Minhyun returned to the cafe soon after, dejected that Seongwoo had left but not entirely surprised. Once Aron had left, they both went upstairs to get ready for bed. 

"Minhyun, can I talk to you about something?" Jonghyun asked.

Minhyun's ears and tail twitched nervously. "That sounds ominous."

"I had an idea and I want you to hear me out to the end," Jonghyun began. "I know you're unregistered and I don't want to take you to get chipped. I want you to be able to have autonomy and keep you out of danger. I've spoken to Dongho about this, I've done a lot of research, and I want to make you the owner of this cafe."

For the first time in a long time, Minhyun was speechless and Jonghyun just waited. "But...this is your family's cafe. Why would you just...give it to me?"

"I'm not just giving it to you-"

"You are, it's not like I earned it and I don't even work during normal work hours. You've done a lot of things for me, but to give me the cafe your parents started is just..." he trailed off, looking more and more uneasy. 

"It's my cafe and I can decide what I want to do with it-"

"It's your family's business!" Minhyun interrupted.

"You are my family!" Jonghyun almost shouted. 

Minhyun's ears perked straight up and his eyes were as wide as saucers - if he was speechless before, he was nothing short of mute now. 

"I won't force you, but I want you to have it. Nothing will change in the day-to-day operations, but at least you'll be able to go outside without hiding, without having to wonder if someone will try to take you."

Jonghyun didn't want to push the issue further and Minhyun was gnawing on his lower lip in consternation. "I'll think about it," he mumbled.


	10. Yours

When Minhyun got up on a Thursday morning, Jonghyun was already gone. He couldn’t smell him in the house and a small feeling of panic set in quickly. He was about to race downstairs when he saw a note taped to the back of the apartment door.

“Minhyun-ah, I had to go to the business office, I’ll be back after lunch. Kaeun will be there to open the store,” he read aloud and sighed.

Minhyun had gotten into the habit of becoming Jonghyun’s personal alarm.Although Jonghyun grumbled that he wished Minhyun had a snooze button, on Mondays Jonghyun would let him slip into the covers next to him.

With a sigh, he went downstairs, unlocked the door for Kaeun to come in, and started setting up the seats.

“Oh! Good morning,” she greeted, surprised to see him there. “Jonghyun’s out today?”

“He has to go to the business office,” he explained. “I’ll do everything out here so you can focus on setting up.”

“Thanks!” she smiled and went into the back.

Minhyun was dusting the tables when not one but three police officers walked into the cafe.

“We’re not open yet,” he told them, holding the dust cloth to his chest.

“You’re under arrest for being in a food establishment without authorization,” they began. “Put your hands in front of you where we can see them.

“I’m allowed to be here. I work here,” Minhyun replied.

“What’s going on?” Kaeun stepped in from the back room. “What are you doing here? Do you have a warrant?”

“He’s an unregistered hybrid. He, therefore, doesn’t have a home address nor does he have employment paperwork. We are permitted to take him to-“

“But you’re not permitted to be on this property. The owner isn’t here and the store is not open,” Kaeun countered.

“We are allowed if there is probable cause-“

“You are probably causing me a headache. I think you should leave,” she insisted.

“We should arrest you for obstruction of justice.”

“What justice are you-“

“Stop,” Minhyun put his arm in front of her. “Leave her alone. I’ll go with you.”

“Minhyun, no,” she grabbed his wrist. “You belong here.”

“Just tell Jonghyun,” he told her.

“Tell me what?” Jonghyun asked, walking into the cafe with Aron. “Can I help you?”

Minhyun was afraid to move, but he wanted to be closer to him. The soft whine that came from his throat was out before he could stop himself. It was quiet but Jonghyun must have heard because he went from looking deceptively calm to staring at Minhyun in concern.

“I think you should leave,” Jonghyun turned back towards the officers. “It doesn’t matter if he’s tagged anyway, because he owns this cafe and any hybrid who had been given property rights by the city are not required to be registered in the chip database.”

“Mr. Kim, we know you’re the cafe owner-“

“I was, but now I’m not,” Jonghyun shrugged his backpack off and pulled out a folder. “Here, you can see it yourself.”

They had talked about this many times. At first, Minhyun was hesitant. He explained to Jonghyun that he used to be kept in a fancy apartment and often used unpleasantly by his owner. Any time he would try to complain or run away they would always remind him that they gave him a place to live - he had to repay them. Of course, he didn’t think Jonghyun was like that, but the power and influence they (and other affluent hybrid owners) had ensured their success in procuring property for their pets.

Minhyun had finally given in after much convincing and signed all the papers that Jonghyun gave him, but it was more to appease his boyfriend than himself. Even if hybrids owned apartments or houses, it was only with the explicit purpose of allowing their masters to visit them at any time. No one would ever allow a hybrid to own a business and Minhyun didn’t want to take something from Jonghyun’s family. Despite all that, Jonghyun insisted. He was sure it would work, it was their only hope, and if Minhyun believed in anyone’s words, it was his.

“Really?” Minhyun turned to look Jonghyun who just nodded with a grin. He produced paperwork from his backpack and one of the officers scanned the barcode on the document into their phone. All three read over the information with such scrutiny that Minhyun scarcely took a breath.

“Well,” one of the officers sighed, handing the paperwork back. “We can’t do anything here. Everything checks out.”

Aron all but pushed them out the front door. “Congratulations!” he thumped Minhyun on the back.

“They really…let you?” Minhyun was still in disbelief as Jonghyun handed him the thick manila folder.

“You can read it all for yourself, but yes, you’re the cafe’s owner now. I’m just sorry it took so long,” Jonghyun smiled at him and pulled his backpack back on.

Minhyun’s eyes shone brightly with unshed tears. “I’d wait forever for you.”

“Wow, that’s bad even for you,” Jonghyun laughed, turning red.

“We should go,” Kaeun laughed and grabbed Aron’s arm to pull him towards the kitchen.

“I love you,” Minhyun blurted and kissed Jonghyun, dropping the folder to the floor.

“I love you too,” Jonghyun panted when he pulled away. “Please don’t lose those.”

Minhyun chuckled and gathered up the papers quickly. “We should go upstairs,” he whispered. What Minhyun, unfortunately, didn’t realize that he had never actually mastered the art of whispering.

Jonghyun glared at the kitchen door where he could hear laughing. “Yes, let’s go upstairs,” he pushed Minhyun towards the back door.

Minhyun laughed, wrapping his arms around Jonghyun and nuzzling his face into his neck. His ears twitched in excitement, tickling Jonghyun’s nose. “You know, I don’t know how to run a cafe.”

“I think we can start training tomorrow,” Jonghyun replied sarcastically, closing the apartment door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this story. Although this story isn't my best, I hope that the idea of treating others equally regardless of who they are/what they look like/etc. was able to shine through. 
> 
> I'm going to be focusing on the 2hyun A to Z project from now on - which if you haven't checked out yet, please do!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
